Hot Arts & Crafts How-Tos
How To: Make post earrings out of cute vintage buttons
Make your own earrings out of buttons! Use some vintage buttons, or cover some regular buttons with pretty fabric. All you will need are the buttons, some hot glue and a few basic jewelry making supplies (earring posts and backings).
How To: Make your own little coffee corset or cup holder
Corsets on a coffee cup? Sure! Rather than having to use more paper to insulate your hot coffee cup, you can make your own at home. You can crochet your own little coffee corset out of yarn and a crochet hook. The perfect gift for the eco-conscious coffee lover.
How To: Decorate a gift box or jewelry box with decoupage
Start with a basic cardboard box. You will also need some paper (wrapping paper or desginer paper works best), some Mod Podge, scissors, a length of ribbon and some card stock to form stencils. Then, decorate as you wish! Add embellishments like buttons or appliques as well.
How To: Upcycle a tired old sofa, loveseat or overstuffed chair
Rescue a piece of roadside furniture, or give your own loveseat or couch a new look. This tutorial shows you how you can upcycle and add some new upholstery. Make sure you are careful to clean any furniture you find on the side of the road.
How To: Recycle an old cardboard box into sheets of handmade paper
You can recycle your own cardboard boxes and get sheets of beautiful, handmade paper. It's quite easy. You'll need a paper mold, but those are very easy to make (you can use a cake pan or baking dish in a pinch!)
How To: Design and make your own designer style circular rug
You can make a classy, desginer style rug out of some scrap pieces of carpet. If you plan to create a dyed rug, make sure the carpet will take the dye before you start this project. Use any design you want!
How To: Sew an easy organizer bag for your crafting supplies
Crafting and sewing is lots of fun, but it calls for many accessories and notions that can clutter your craft area. This tutorial shows you how to create your own craft supply organizer out of some upcycled or recycled materials.
How To: Make an easy fabric rosettes out of a recycled T-shirt
These rosettes can be used as embellishments however you like - turn them into hair accessories, attach them to a sweater or use them to upcycle another T-shirt. Dress them up with beads or ribbon. All you need are some scissors and a hot glue gun.
How To: Sew a bound buttonhole using a sewing machine
You don't have to sew a bound buttonhole by hand, you can replicate this fashion technique using a sewing machine. Make sure you sew slowly and carefully to get the clean finished lines of a perfectly done bound button hole.
How To: Use couture techniques to attach buttons and buttonholes
This tutorial shows you a variety of couture techniques you can use when home sewing to attach buttons and create buttonholes. Use bound buttonholes, space your buttons and make sure that your buttons and buttonholes line up to each other.
How To: Sew an easy and quick bound buttonhole
A bound buttonhole doesn't have to be difficult. This video shows you several different techniques taught in various sewing books, and then shows you a synthesis of both methods. Don't worry about having to hand sew your buttons, you can do it all by machine.
How To: Hand sew a bound buttonhole for couture garments
While you can usually make a buttonhole with a machine, doing a bound buttonhole by hand is a couture technique that gives a professional, elegant finish to your buttonholes. This video shows you how to hand sew a bound butthole for your garment.
How To: Make your own handmade corset out of some old T-shirts
Upcycle your old T-shirts into a classy and fashionable corset top! All you need are some basic sewing notions, in addition to eyelets and eyelet pliers. Embellish your corset top with ribbon, appliques, rhinestones or any other accessory you fancy.
How To: Sew your own corset style top at home
This is not a tutorial on how to sew a real corset, rather, how to sew a corset style top. You will need some fashion fabric, eyelets, an eyelet attachment tool, ribbon, scissors, pins, measuring tape, tailor's chalk and of course, a sewing machine.
How To: Make a pattern to sew your own custom made corset
You can buy a pre made corset pattern from a manufacturer, or, if you really want to start from scratch, you can draft your own pattern. This tutorial shows you how to take your measurements and translate that into a custom fit corset pattern.
How To: Properly attach grommets and eyelets to your handmade corset
Grommets and eyelets are the metal rings that reinforce the holes in your corset, through which you thread the cording. This tutorial gives you some good advice on choosing, placing and attaching grommets and eyelets to your own hand sewn corsets.
How To: Make sure your hand sewn corset is as professional and sturdy as possible
A corset is not necessarily a difficult thing to sew, but it does require a lot of precision. Here are a few good tips you'll want to learn and follow when you're trying to teach yourself sewing and corset making at home.
How To: Pin your panels together accurately when making a corset by hand
Precision is important when you're making a garment as closely form fitting as a corset, and pinning your garment together is no different. Make sure that the panels for your corset are snugly, securely and accurately pinned together before you start sewing.
How To: Make your own bias tape with a bias tape maker
The bias cut is when you cut a piece of fabric at a forty five degree angle from the direction it was woven on a loom. Bias tape, a strip of fabric cut on the bias, can be used to give any garment a professional looking finish, and here is how you can make your own.
How To: Break in or season your corset without damaging it
When you first buy a corset from a retailer, you will need to give the thread and fabric the chance to shape itself according to your own personal shape. Here is the best way to break in or season a new corset to make it last longer.
How To: Sew a corset boning channel with a pressing bar
This tutorial shows you two different techniques for creating a boning channel when you're making a corset. You will need the corset boning and a pressing bar, along with some bias tape (or the ability to make your own) and a few other sewing notions.
How To: Sew your own corset tank top at home
This is a great and attractive shirt - a corset tank top. You don't need a pattern to make this, just some fabric, lining and ribbon. You'll also need some basic sewing notions and access to a sewing machine to sew this very basic item.
How To: Make a reversible waist cincher for your Renaissance Faire outfit
This is an easy tutorial that will go well with any Renaissance Faire outfit or similar costume. By using two different types of fabric, you can even make it reversible and increase the number of costumes you can wear it with.
How To: Cut up an old t-shirt and turn it into a corset halter top
Repurpose your old T-shirts! Create a fun summer look by creating a halter top/corset style look out of an old T-shirt. All you need is a sharp pair of scissors and a few embellishements or accessories. You won't even need a sewing machine.
How To: Make a ruffled and gathered Lolita skirt
Lolita, hime or Little Bo Beep - this skirt will serve all those costume functions! Sew an easy ruffled skirt and then use elastic to gather the waistband and create the outer ruffle. You don't need a pattern, just your measurements and a sewing machine!
How To: Sew a box pleated skirt for a flared Lolita style skirt
Depending on the fabric you choose, this could be part of your Lolita costume or a professional skirt. Sew a skirt with one inch box pleats, without needing a pattern. Get your fabric, measurements and some basic sewing supplies together, and you're ready to go!
How To: Sew a dirndl style Austrian or German skirt
The dirndl skirt is cut straight and gathered at the waist, and is a traditional style of German or Austrian skirts. Due to the cut and the flare, it's an ideal skirt for Lolita style costumes, and this tutorail shows you how to sew a dirndl without a pattern.
How To: Sew a peasant blouse for a Renaissance costume
A great and simple way to add a little to your Renaissance Faire costume or costume closet - sew a peasant style top. All you need are a few yards of loose white fabric, your measurements and some basic sewing tools.
How To: Sew a blouse to match an Indian sari
The sari is a beautiful dress, traditionally worn by East Indian women, involving a length of fabric draped over an under blouse. This tutorial shows you how to draft your own pattern for a sari blouse and then sew it together yourself. Always iron your fabric before you start working with it!
How To: Sew a flirty, fluttery tank top without a pattern
This is a great project to make a fun and feminine shirt. All you need is one piece of fabric cut in a circle, a few basic notions and a sewing machine. No pattern required, just make sure you have your measurements at hand!
How To: Sew a lined and zippered change purse or pouch
Start with two rectangles of fabric, both the same size. You will also need a short zipper and a few basic sewing supplies (pins and a sewing machine). Then just follow along with this video to make your own zippered change purse!
How To: Sew your own retro chic circle skirt
Circle skirts are easy, and look good on nearly any figure. You can sew your own without needing a pattern at all - just pick your under fabric and over fabric, then follow along with this tutorial for a retro chic addition to your wardrobe.
How To: Sew your own Lolita or cosplay ruffles
Ruffles are incredibly easy to make, though they are time consuming. Get a length of your chosen fabric, and then follow along with this tutorial to make an elegant and fun ruffled ribbon that you can use as an embellishment, a headband or an accessory.
How To: Craft a silk flower pen wedding favor
On average, a wedding will cost you $27,000. If you want a designer gown, that'll probably rack up to about $30,000. So it's advisable to cut costs wherever you can.
How To: Sew a simple adorable ruffled black strapless dress with Gianny L
A strapless dress is a smoldering, make-'em-weak-in-the-knees choice for any glamorous occasion. But getting both a beautiful dress and one that fits you to a tee is rather difficult.
How To: Craft a DIY cord basket adorned with ribbons
When it comes to quirky homemade DIY, cords - made from rope, twine, or other materials - aren't usually used in many projects. Other than tying nautical knots, it seems they're quite defunct.
How To: Knit a simple warm scarf for winter for beginners
Knitting, ladies and gents, is not just for grannies who have too much time on their hands. In fact, knitting is fun and quite addicting once you get the basics down.
How To: Take proper care and perform basic maintenance on a sewing machine
Get a sewing machine for the holidays? Buying one for yourself? Like any machine, a sewing machine needs some basic maintenance to keep running properly. Make sure lint doesn't build up around the feed dogs, and oil the parts once a year to keep things running smoothly.
How To: Make a no sew apron out of your fabric scraps
Trying to figure out what to do with the scrap fabric in your stash? This tutorial shows you how you can make a no sew apron by raiding your stash. Dress it up by adding your own appliques, patches or embellishments.
How To: Make an easy abstract quilt or blanket
This is the perfect tutorial for beginners who are interesting in learning how to quilt. Start with a basic abstract pattern and your favorite colors of fabric (you can use scraps if you wish as well), then follow the video and make your first quilt!